Drayton Manor Theme Park
Drayton Manor is the home of Thomas Land, the first Thomas & Friends based theme park in Europe. Thomas Land was opened there on 6 March 2008. In 2009, HiT Entertainment opened an exhibition with some original models from the television series because of the switch to CGI in 2009. They added small plastic parts between the rolling stock and the engines so that the buffers would not be damaged. Rides Train rides A steam-outline narrow gauge railway runs from Knapford station to Tidmouth Hault. It also includes Dryaw and Tidmouth Sheds, where stationary models of Edward, Henry, Gordon, Toby and Rosie are kept. Inside is Harold's Heli-Tours. When Thomas Land was opened, the line was run by Thomas and Percy, using Annie and Clarabel and the red coaches. On 13 July 2009, Rosie was added to the line. There are also several sidings, with one holding a full-size, sleeping model of James (now has a surprised face and moved to a different position for James and the Red Balloon ride). Other rides *Troublesome Trucks Runaway Coaster * Jeremy's Flying Academy * Terence's Driving School * Diesel's Locomotion Mayhem - includes Diesel, Bert, Mavis, Rusty, Salty and Dennis * Crazy Bertie Bus * Lady's Carousel * Sodor's Classic Cars - formerly the Robinson's Land Veteran Cars and Winston referring to them as the "Sodor Cars" * Harold's Heli-Tours at Tidmouth Sheds - with Edward, Henry, Gordon, Toby and Rosie * Cranky's Tower Drop * Emily's Indoor Play Area * Spencer's Outdoor Play Area * Rockin' Bulstrode * Blue Mountain Engines - includes Skarloey, Rheneas, Sir Handel, Peter Sam and Merrick * Winston's Whistle Stop Tour * Flynn's Fire Rescue * Captain's Sea Adventure * Toby's Tram Express * James and the Red Balloon Discover Thomas and Friends Exhibition Engines * Thomas * Edward * Toby * Stepney * Harvey * Rosie Vehicles * Terence * Trevor * Bulgy * Butch * Elizabeth * Horrid Lorries * The Post Van * A dark red car * A green car * A blue tractor * A rusty tractor * Bulstrode * Two boats * A canal boat Rolling stock * Six trucks * Three red trucks * One blue truck * Two turquoise trucks * Two green trucks * Three red and cream express coaches * Two green and cream express coaches * Three milk tankers * Eight tar tankers * Two flatbeds, including one with the Great Waterton water wheel * The Breakdown Train * One brake van * Four mail coaches * One raspberry syrup tanker * One cream tanker * Three ice cream vans * The circus trucks * Funfair trucks * Two balloon trucks * Flora's Tram Coach * A truck full of cans * One jam tanker * Two LBSC 8 ton vans * Three LNER 12 ton vans * One livestock wagon Humans and Animals * Stephen Hatt * Jem Cole * Tom Tipper * Allicia Botti * Farmer McColl * The Duchess of Boxford * The Storyteller * Dusty Miller * The Great Waterton butcher * Three workmen * Several holidaymakers * Two stationmasters * A farmer * Katie the sheepdog * The Bull * Some cows * Some sheep * Some cats * Some hens * A dog Areas * Brendam Docks * Great Waterton * The Fishing Village * The Yard Buildings * Dryaw station * Great Waterton station * Great Waterton's clock tower * Great Waterton's water wheel * The Water Works * Signal box * Ben's Books * Neptune Refreshments * Waterton Butchers * Bluff's Cove station * Toby's shed/Elizabeth's shed * The Viaduct * The Windmill * Castle Loch * Rolf's Castle * The Ruined Castle * Rolling River Bridge * Stanley's Shed * The Library * Sodor Flour Mills towers * Lower Tidmouth station * Black Loch Folly * Village Square clock tower Trivia * Originally, 'Arry was to have been involved in Diesel's Locomotion Mayhem, but was instead replaced by Dennis. * The Rosie train ride strangely has a fourth boiler band added behind her rear dome. * Terence's Driving School was originally located at the front of the park, but it was relocated to Farmer McColl's Farm in late 2011/January 2012 from where the Blue Mountain Engines ride now resides. Two monuments were in both places until Blue Mountain Engines was re-designed for the expansion in 2015. * Rheneas is depicted as a saddle tank engine in the Blue Mountain Engines ride. * In 2014, the park became a filming location for Nativity 3: Dude, Where's my Donkey? Percy with his face removed along with Knapford station made a cameo as well. * The Thomas train ride gained a CGI face in autumn 2014. ** In 2015, the Percy and Rosie train rides also gained CGI faces. ** Sometime during 2019, the Rosie train ride was updated to her red livery, she gained rivets and a gold headlamp. Her makeup was also removed, but left her freckles faded. The stationary model of Rosie from Harold's Heli-Tours was also repainted red as well. * According to the 2015 map of Drayton Manor, Diesel's Locomotion Mayhem is named Diesel's Locomotive Mayhem. * In 2015, the Discover Thomas & Friends exhibition layout was filmed for the 70 Years of Friendship documentary. * The Maithwaite Station replica presently serves as a staff/dressing room; a railway line (fitted between the Blue Mountain Quarry tunnel and another "faux" tunnel) was added in 2017 to tie-into a "Thomas Land story" for the new James and the Red Balloon ride. * One of the other cranes from TUGS is on display. * Thomas, Edward and Toby have replica face masks with eyes on them. * During the 65th Anniversary, Toby's model was stolen. * Edward's neutral face mask was on his model in 2009 when he first arrived, only to be replaced by a replica smiling expression. * Stepney seems to have been taken off of the exhibition. * Throughout the years, most of the models have been damaged or are missing parts, such as: ** Thomas is missing his lamp irons. ** Thomas, Edward and Toby's screen-used faces have been replaced with replicas. ** Thomas did not have coal in his coal bunker between 2009 and 2011. ** Edward is missing his right lamp iron, brake pipe, backhead, tender axle boxes, and whistle. ** Toby was missing his headlamp and his cab roof was facing backward. ** Harvey was missing his hook. ** Bulgy is missing his front bumper and his left side (viewer's right) has been cracked. ** Terence's plough is broken and his stack has snapped off, but were both repaired and glued in around 2019. ** Stepney's front coupling came off in 2014. ** Thomas' boiler bands have been bleached white due to sun damage. ** All of the engines' original chassis and wheels were replaced with replicas. ** Edward's eyebrows rubbed off circa 2015. ** Thomas' eyebrows have been rubbed off his face mask. ** Rosie is missing her whistle when the exhibition opened and the back of her left rod broke off in 2017. Her coupling rod would be later fixed. ** All of the running engines have chips and scrapes in their paintwork. ** One of Thomas' splashers is losing a bit. ** The draw bridge from Great Watertown Station has a bent rail. ** Rosie's motor has given out. ** One of the green express coaches had one of its buffers broke off. ** Two of the mail vans had some of their buffers broke off. External link * Official website References de:Drayton Manor Theme Park he:פארק הנושא דרייטון מנור Category:Parks and Events